Trapped Zelgadiss
by Watashi no Kakumei
Summary: A story of a rather tragic romance between Zelgadiss and Xelloss. Chapters 9&10 are up: Xelloss completes his mission, unfortunately for Lina. Zelgadiss' consciousness reawakens, but to what world? How will he come to terms? And what about Xelloss?
1. Chapter 1

Notes: My first Xel/Zel! Woohoo! Oh, and no, none of these characters belong to me.  
  
Zelgadiss Trapped  
Chapter One  
  
Zelgadiss lay awake for quite a while, gazing down at the peacefully sleeping form of the lover in his arms. Once more he ran his hand through the silky hair, then a finger down the beautiful milky white skin. He was perfect, except for one thing: he was a man. No, not even a man. A demon in the form of one. Pure evil in disguise. He was surprised that it even slept.  
He contemplated. What had happened, why was this Mazoku asleep- looking so fragile, trusting, and his-in the arms of a part-human chimera? It had all happened so fast. Of course, that was what everyone said, "Oh! It's all happening so fast!" using it as an excuse for not stopping and thinking. But it really had happened quickly; too quickly. It had been such a quick succession of events: Xelloss had realized Zelgadiss' feelings for him, claimed he felt the same (in that roundabout, untrustworthy way of his), and soon Zelgadiss had found himself in bed with him-it. Passionate love, a nice orgasm or four later, and here they were. Here Zel was. His hand paused in its caressing of the demon's cheek. There was only one solution to all of this. He knew he couldn't say anything to Xelloss' face; he would see the crocodile tears in the demon's eyes, and he would melt. There was only one thing to do. He slipped out from under the demon, found his clothes and put them on without a sound, and took a piece of paper and a pen from his desk. Hm, yes this room was his. but soon it wouldn't be. Zelgadiss wrote two sentences on the paper:  
  
"I love you.  
Goodbye."  
  
A single glance at the unmoving, nude form of his lover-no, the demon- and he slipped out the door. He shut it tight, and it squeaked its unhappy goodbye. He didn't have to open his eyes to know he was free.  
"Where are you going so late at night, Zelgadiss?" The voice was low and rich, but unmistakably. Zel's eyes snapped open and he took it all in at once. There was Xelloss, fully clothed, his pupils visible slits of purple. He let his gaze linger on his face just a little too long; those eyes were what caught Zelgadiss' gaze, trapped it, and held him there with Xelloss forever.  
"X-Xelloss.I.I thought you were asleep," Zelgadiss managed to mumble. Xelloss' purple slits revealed sadness, with some sort of wisdom; at that Zel knew that Xelloss understood. No, Zelgadiss had been wrong. Xelloss loved him. That look in his eyes proved it. But it wasn't Zelgadiss' fault. It wasn't. No, he had just learned not to trust anyone. Forgive me, thought the chimera.  
"I don't sleep," Xelloss told him. He paused a moment to let that fact sink in, then went straight to the point. Putting his hand in subspace, he took out Zel's note. Those purple slits never left the blue chimera's eyes.  
Gems, Xelloss thought. Those eyes of his reminded Xelloss of little sapphires, glistening in the whiteness. He could lose himself in those sapphires. It was partly because of those sapphires that he was determined never to let his chimera go. Especially now that he had him. "What is the meaning of this, Zelgadiss?" he asked, holding it in the palm of his hand, careful not to flaunt it.  
"I-" Zelgadiss sputtered. He ripped his eyes away from those purple slits and he looked at the floor beneath him. No, he had been wrong about Xelloss. Xelloss cared.and he cared for Xelloss. No, he loved the man-the demon. It didn't matter. He loved Xelloss. But he couldn't stay. Too much could happen, everything would go wrong. "I'm just going out to buy milk." He tried to push past Xelloss, not meeting the fateful gaze.  
But arms reached out to stop him, wrapping around the chimera. "All right," said the voice, so rich and deep that Zelgadiss found himself sinking into it. "But wait just a minute, all right?" Xelloss planted a kiss on the chimera brow.  
Zelgadiss closed his eyes, and, feeling Xelloss' warmth, he sank into him. He couldn't stop his feet from taking a step closer, his hands from finding silky purple hair. He said nothing.  
"Okay, Zelgadiss?"  
"Huh?"  
"Will you stay? You don't need milk that badly, do you?" There was the slightest hint of humor in his voice.  
"I guess not." Zel breathed into a bit of cape.  
"Good." Xelloss planted a second kiss tenderly on his chimera's closed eyelid.  
Zelgadiss held Xelloss close, and knew that the man-demon, whatever- was his, and he belonged to Xelloss. 


	2. Chapter 2

NOTES Hey, thanks for the reviews! But uhh.. Just so people know, it gets darker. Kind of. None of these characters belong to me, etc. etc.  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Xelloss lifted his little chimera off his feet, and the door squeaked open. He returned him to the bed, and tucked him in tight, forming a little cage just for him. Just for his beauty; well, with enough space left for. . . He phased in underneath the covers, and wrapped his arms around him. Zelgadiss returned the favor, snuggling and burying his face in silky purple locks.  
"Mmm. . ." Zelgadiss breathed in and Xelloss could feel his hair tickling the sensitive nose, he could feel Zel's entranced reaction. "You smell good."  
"So do you," Xelloss smiled, and gently rubbed his skin against the abrasive rock. Such an exquisite combination: Zelgadiss' happiness mixed with his own physical pain.  
That was yet another wonderful thing about Zelgadiss, probably one thing that had drawn him to the chimera. He could feel everything Zelgadiss felt. Sure, he could feel everything anyone felt.but not in the same way. To focus on someone's emotions in such.depth would take immense concentration. It was as if they were in sync, almost as if.they had the same soul. It was nice.  
He wondered to himself as he held him, wondered if this was what humans called "love." It was true that he had never felt anything like this, not with anyone. Humans usually described it like that. He'd always thought it was folly. . . until now.  
On the other hand, maybe it wasn't love. A few minutes ago, he had experienced something much more pleasant than the apparent love they shared: Zelgadiss' inner torment. That had been a new kind of experience, something he had never, ever felt before. For how would a Mazoku know strife? But now he had felt it through Zelgadiss, and now he was determined. He would make him feel it again.  
But how? He could just tell him it was over, but then Zelgadiss wouldn't be his anymore. That would defeat the point. No, Zelgadiss was a treasure, his treasure, and he would savor it in every way possible.  
"Hey, Xelloss?" his treasure interrupted. Mmm. . . he loved that voice.  
"Yes, Zelgadiss?"  
"Um. I hate to bring up the subject, but what about Lina and Gourry? What are we going to tell them?" Fear. Zelgadiss was nervous, Xelloss could tell. That was nice.but not quite as delicious as the torment he'd felt before. Maybe he could make this nervousness grow, consume him somehow. . . Ah, but Zelgadiss was waiting for an answer.  
"We could keep it a secret," Xelloss whispered into the chimera ear. He smiled at the tingly sensation he felt running through them both.  
"We.could." Zelgadiss agreed. "Sure. Let's just keep it a secret."  
Yes, they would, Xelloss thought. For if Lina found out, she would think he was using Zelgadiss or something. She was foolish. She wouldn't be able to keep him from his treasure.but it would be better if she didn't know that, either.  
"Xelloss?" Zelgadiss uttered his lover's name again after a pause.  
"Yes, Zelgadiss?"  
He could feel Zelgadiss' excitement. His chimera was about to say something important, he knew. And it was delicious. "This feels really nice. . .I just wanted to let you know. . . I really do love you, Xelloss." Happiness and nervousness rolled through the Mazoku's prize, and in turn reached Xelloss. Delicious.  
Hmmmm.. Xelloss realized he was happy that Zelgadiss was happy. He was glad to have Zelgadiss here in his arms, he was glad that Zelgadiss was his. He was happy.to be with Zelgadiss. Maybe Mazoku did love. Maybe. . .maybe Xelloss was in love.  
"You know," Xelloss replied amiably, matter-of-factly, "I think I love you, too." He kissed the back of Zelgadiss' neck, and savored his happiness. Their happiness. He savored the nice long pause, he savored the fact that they were here together. And he was happy.  
But in truth, there was nothing Xelloss enjoyed more than pain. Especially pain that felt like his own.  
  
More Notes: Ah, I know it's not edited much, nor is it very long, but I kinda rushed to get this one out. ^^;;; Hoped you like it, please review. Oh, and thanks Yuna-chan, Noël-chan, and Trenchy-God-san for beta reading. ^_^ And I sure as hell hope the ellipses showed up this time. Damn it. 


	3. Chapter 3

Notes: No, I'm not an Amelia hater. I just figured Xelloss was. or maybe he just thinks she's funny. Also, I might edit this some more later. After I wrote this, I had to rush to get it up. Please r and r, it really will make me write faster. ^^;;  
  
Pit-pat pit-pat pit-pat. Zelgadiss awoke to the soft sound of a morning drizzle on the inn roof. A peek outside informed him that it was going to be one of those dreary, sunless, sleepy days when no one could tell what was what. He wondered if he'd overslept; the grayness outside hid the sun.  
But that was all right. He had plenty to keep his feet ground in reality today. He had someone to keep that grayness away. He had a someone now, someone who could help him stay sane while the days wore on and his search for his cure became tedious. Xelloss.  
Even if there were problems they had to face, problems every openly gay male would have to, they would face them together. He smiled to himself, the first smile in a while to reach his eyes. With a contented sigh, he rolled over to bid good morning to his lover.  
And of course, he met nothing but a pile of empty sheets.  
Oh well, that was nothing new, Zelgadiss assured himself. Xelloss probably had some sort of mission or other. Maybe his master had called him away. Surely nothing else could have pulled Xelloss from his side before he woke up, not when he knew it meant so much to him. He shook his head to clear it of any doubts, and stumbled downstairs.  
He must have awoken late, thanks to the gloom. Lina could eat forever given the chance, but when he spotted the table, Zel noticed that she and the others had already finished breakfast and were discussing plans for the day. Xelloss wasn't sitting with them, just as he had expected. Good, so he had been called away. He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding, and took the remaining seat.  
He didn't have to wait long to be noticed. Though he wouldn't admit it to himself that fact helped to banish his depressed mood. It almost made up for not seeing Xelloss beside him as he woke. He had friends. He had friends, they cared for him, and he cared for them. Not that he would confess something as sappy as that out loud.  
"Good morning, Zelgadiss-san!" cheered that ever-spunky voice. "Good morning, Amelia," he responded with a slight (if just a tad bit sad) smile on his face.  
"Mornin', Zel!" Lina grinned.  
"Heey! Zel!" came voice number three, Gourry.  
"Morning, everyone," Zel's smile grew and the sadness was banished from his eyes. "So what's this?" He gestured to the floor plans and maps on the table.  
"Well, Zel," Lina said, "While you were off dozing in dreamland, we were busy planning our visit to the ruins."  
"Where'd you get the maps?" Zel asked. "I didn't think anyone had any maps of Skandaru."  
"Well, you know," Lina said. "I have my ways." She discreetly pointed over to the corner, where a man with purple hair sat drinking his morning tea.  
"XELLOSS?!" Zelgadiss burst out. So he had been here all along! What was he thinking, leaving him like that to worry? He definitely had to give that little (delicious and sexy) Mazoku crap a piece of his mind.  
"Yeah," Lina shrugged, misreading his outburst entirely. "He's got to have something up his sleeve, if he actually gave out information.but he did, and you know what they say about gift horses." She called over to the Mazoku. "Xelloss, get over here. We're getting ready to leave. Unless you want something to eat first?"  
That last comment was directed at Zelgadiss, who was seething in his chair. Maybe Xelloss didn't know how much it had meant to him, but he was going to make sure he found out. "No thanks. I'm not hungry," he growled.  
"Zelgadiss-san?" Amelia blinked. "What's wrong?"  
"Never mind," Zel snapped, not noticing the wince Amelia responded with. His eyes were on the object of his affection as it sauntered over to the table, with that idiotic, oblivious, genki smile on his face. Much to Zelgadiss' surprise, Xelloss didn't seem to notice his anger. Worse, he didn't even seem to notice him, even as he dished out his death glare. He fumed, hiding his worry and confusion with anger.  
Lina lifted an eyebrow at Zel, but decided it would be best to just leave him alone. Instead she turned to Xelloss, and informed him, "You're coming with us. And you're not going to leave if something happens. Got it?"  
"Oh, I am?" Xelloss had that feigned innocence plastered all over his face. "Why's that?"  
"Because I don't trust your motives this time, Xelloss," Lina had a kind of triumphant, Lina-like smirk on her face. "So you're staying with us. Got that?"  
"I suppose I don't have any choice in the matter. I agree," Xelloss nodded.  
"That's a new one," Zel snorted. "Xelloss staying when he's wanted? Now that's odd."  
"You act like I'm an unwanted insect!" Xelloss chuckled. He didn't seem phased by Zel's jab at all.  
Zelgadiss leaped off his chair and looked straight into Xelloss' face, fist poised to and ready to punch. "Well MAYBE you ARE!" Why wasn't Xelloss responding? Why was he acting like nothing was wrong?  
"Zelgadiss-san. . ." Amelia said again. "Calm down. . ."  
Lina sprung up and stood between them. "Hey, hey," she said. "Calm down Zel. I know you don't like him, but he did give us these maps. Which I assume are accurate?"  
"Mmhmm," Xelloss affirmed.  
"Good. Then let's go." Lina grabbed Xelloss' cape and dragged him out of the inn, Zel, Amelia, and Gourry following.  
Zelgadiss glared at the Mazoku as he walked.  
  
It was working. Zelgadiss' inner turmoil was. . . sublime. Even as Lina dragged him out of the inn, Xelloss could feel Zelgadiss' pain as if it were his own. It felt as if he were floating in a sea of bliss, a delicious sea of Zelgadiss. And all it had taken was a little ignoring. What a lesson learned: the closer you got to someone, the easier it was to hurt him. Perhaps he should become close to people more often.  
The other part of his plan was working, too. The part he had been commanded to do. No one had an idea of what he was up to, and it would probably stay that way. Vaguely, he wondered if he would feel sad when his task was completed and that flame was finally snuffed out. Probably not. He might feel wistful, maybe, but sorrowful? He doubted that.  
"Xelloss-san?" that squeaky little girl's voice brought him back to the present. "Are you all right?"  
"Hm?" Perhaps he should reflect less; it made one miss the other parts of life.  
Lina was laughing at him. "Oh, he's fine Amelia! He's just daydreaming."  
"Mazoku daydream?" Justice-girl peeped.  
"Guess so," Lina grinned. "So what's up, Xelloss? Dreaming about a crush? Of course, he's dreaming about me, the wonderful and beautiful Sorceress Supreme!" The cute little flame made a Justice-girl pose, as Zelgadiss made a face. She was actually relatively close-well, without the part about her. How cute of her. Xelloss' trademark smile grew a little.  
"Hey! Lina! That's my pose!" Freak Princess protested.  
"No time to argue, Amelia, not in dangerous caves like this." Lina had taken out her map again. "Okay. let's keep going, then turn left."  
Zelgadiss was abnormally quiet. Which is to say, he said nothing, considering normal Zel said little anyway. Delicious; Xelloss sure did love that chimera.  
The tunnels stretched endlessly in all kinds of directions. Obviously, the priests who had designed the temple had not made things very orderly. To make matters worse, age had corroded away at the hallways and strange beings had made their homes there, making the underground temple treacherous. Indeed, those Ceipheed-worshipping white magic priests had not intended on their temple becoming a dangerous labyrinth, but time had made it so. Perhaps time would also make it useful to Shabranigdou; or so Xelloss hoped.  
Lina was following the map by the letter. She seemed to trust Xelloss' judgment; of course, his judgment was hardly ever wrong. If he had been on her side it would have been a good idea. "Left again," Lina called to her group, and they followed.  
"Stop!" Lina commanded. Her train stopped. "The map warns that this room is full of traps and hiding places. Perfect for an ambush."  
"Let me see that," Zel hissed; he was still in that delicious bad mood. It's only beginning, you know, Zelgadiss. Xelloss smiled to himself and in that moment the group was concentrating on the map, he called forth his minion.  
They were caught off guard, as planned. Better, Zelgadiss was so engrossed in his own anger that he did not sense a thing; Lina was busy wrestling the map away from Zelgadiss. "Give me that, Zel, I'm leading!!!" she protested, even as Amelia and Gourry tried to stop their fight. "JELLYFISH BRAINS! Stay out of this! You, too, Amelia!"  
Wonderful, simply wonderful! He probably hadn't even needed such a high-level minion for this task. [Destroy her,] he thought-commanded to it. [Use your cannon beam attack, the one made of fire.] Fire to defeat the flame.  
[Done,] it responded, shooting a cannon's beam of fire at the mess fighting over the map.  
Wonderful, and now just watch it. . .hit?  
"LINA! Look out!!" Zelgadiss dropped what he was doing and stood in front of her. He chanted. Zelgadiss, you won't have enough time, what are you doing?  
"Balus-" Zelgadiss was cut off by the beam.  
No, Xelloss did not like this kind of pain at all. "ZELGADISS!" he cried out.  
  
NOTES: Weeell ain't that a great ending. . . ok I feel guilty. . . maybe I better write the next chapter ASAP. . . 


	4. Chapter 4

NOTES: I really am sorry about the cliffhanger last time. ^^;;;; I didn't mean to leave it for so long like that. . . gomenasai!!  
  
"Balus-" Zelgadiss was cut off by the beam. No, Xelloss did not like this kind of pain at all. "ZELGADISS!" he cried out. There, in front of his eyes, his lover (love?) was being torn apart by the fire of Xelloss' own minion. He had to stop this, now. The sound of a completed spell resonated through the room. "BALUS WALL!" Huh? Of course! Xelloss groaned and slapped his forehead in a combination of frustration and relief. He watched as all that fire spouting from the hand of his minion simply burned out when it hit Zel, and he began to giggle. Rock. Rock Zel. Immune-to-fire Zel. He started to laugh out loud. "Hah. Hahaha. Ha HAHAHAHAHAHA!"  
All heads turned to him as they heard his uncharacteristic outburst. "Xelloss?" Lina blinked.  
"Eh? Xelloss?" Gourry scratched his head.  
"Xelloss, are you all right?" Amelia inquired.  
Well that was a stupid question. "HAHAHAHAHA! HA HA!" It wasn't even funny! It was just. . .messed up. . . and here he was, a high-level Mazoku, at the top of his class (and the top of the food chain), laughing his little Mazoku tushy off in front of a minion and a bunch of humans. Even Zelgadiss lifted an eyebrow.  
And his minion even halted his attack, and blinked its beady little reptilian eyes at its master. "Xelloss-sama. . .?" Which was just what Xelloss needed to stop his laugh-attack. Shit.  
"Xelloss-sama?" Lina hissed. Uh-oh, dangerous little flame mode. Delicious, but deadly. Aura flaring around her, Lina turned to the minion. "Did you just call him Xelloss-sama?!"  
"Well. . .yes, of course I did," the minion said.  
[You IDIOT! SHUT UP!] Xelloss hissed.  
"Huh? Am I missing something?" the idiot lesser minion scratched his head with a claw. Perfect Gourry imitation.  
"No idea," his human double (idiot blonde) shrugged. "I think Xelloss did something bad."  
Idiot-lesser-minion gave Gourry a perplexed look. "Really? But Xelloss-sama can't do any wrong. He's too smart. And handsome. And powerful. . . and. . ." he continued on. Idiot.  
"He is? Oh, well I guess so. . ." The two idiots started chatting away. Two of a kind. Xelloss shook his head. At least their childish chattering was distracting the others. "You IDIOT Gourry!" Lina hissed and smacked her sidekick across the face. "Lina! Stop doing that to Gourry, it's unjust!" Maybe he could make a quick escape. . . He shook his head.  
But one member of the group was not distracted. That member was pissed. That member was filled with emotions-not only anger, but hurt and confusion. He knew before looking who this member was; he could feel and taste the emotions as if they were his own.  
It was Zelgadiss. And he was tasting. . . exquisite. This turn of events wasn't all bad after all. "I need to talk with you. Now, Xelloss."  
"Sure, sure, where would you like to talk?" Xelloss didn't bother smothering his smile. This was fun.  
"Wherever. Just teleport me there. Now."  
Xelloss' smile faded just a tad. Was this bad? He nodded and placed a hand on Zel's shoulder, teleporting away.  
"Zel? XELLOSS?!" Lina blinked. She paused in her throttling of the minion and Gourry.  
"Xelloss-sama?! WAIT! DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!"  
Lina grinned a toothy Lina-grin at it. "It's too late for you," she said. "You are going to tell us everything you know. Got that?"  
"Hai, Lina-sama," it squeaked.  
"Gooooood."  
  
It was the same room they'd shared the night before, small, with only a desk and a bed. The sky was still gray, and neither of them bothered to light a candle. It felt as if the grayness was coming inside, filling the room, separating them. Xelloss chose to sit on the bed, so Zel got the chair at the desk. It was small and threatened to break under his weight, but he wasn't about to share a bed with him right now.  
He winced and turned away as Xelloss lay back on the bed, stretching out and looking all languid and relaxed. Sexy, too. But dangerous. . . always dangerous. "Xelloss, talk to me," he said, turning away.  
"Talk to you about what? The minion? Surely it's not that big a deal. . ."  
"No, Xelloss. I always knew you would betray us. That's not entirely it." It hurt to admit that. Xelloss hadn't just betrayed Lina, he had betrayed him. "I don't know what you're up to, but. . . that's not entirely it."  
"No, Zel," Xelloss said, propping his head up on his hand and looking him in the eye. "I did not betray anyone."  
Zel met the gaze only briefly, then turned away. "Stop these stupid mind games, Xelloss."  
"Mind games?"  
"Yes, Xelloss, mind games. Manipulation. Those things you do with humans, all humans." Zel turned to look in Xelloss' eyes again, and this time he continued to gaze. He would defy him. Prove he's not just another toy. A toy. . . Wait, was that what Xelloss thought of him as?  
"Ahhhh," was all Xelloss said in response. "Mind games."  
"So you don't deny it, Xelloss," Zel hissed. He was boiling, broiling, hurting inside. He had to let it out. "You don't even care about me, do you? I'm just another toy to be used, aren't I. Well you know what? Forget it. I won't be a toy." He stood, hurt and anger visible in his eyes. "I hate you. I hate you. We are over, and you had better get the fuck out of here before I or Lina decides to kill you."  
Xelloss' smile was gone. Good. Finally. Good riddance. Damn him. . . He wasn't talking. . . why? Zel was sick of staring at his little puny (horribly sad-looking?) face. "Wait, Zel. . . let me explain. . . Please?"  
No, Zel was determined not to let him get to him. It was a game. Nothing but a game. "What is there to explain?! I trusted you. What a friggen mistake that was. . ."  
Xelloss didn't respond, but watched him. Then he did the unthinkable: he began to open his eyes. He opened them slowly, as if to prolong Zelgadiss' torture. He did not want to look into those eyes, and see. . .  
No, it wasn't really what he saw. It was what he felt. He felt Xelloss there, around him, inside of him, encompassing him. Those depths pulled him in, and it was if he could feel what Xelloss was feeling.  
Hurt. Confusion. Guilt?  
No, it was a trick. This was how Xelloss had captured him last time. He would not let him do this again. He closed his eyes, shutting off the contact. He turned away. "I'm going back to find Lina," he said, and left the inn. He allowed the drizzle and fog to become a part of him; there was no way to keep it at bay now.  
  
NOTES: Okay, okay, I'll let you all in on a secret. I didn't mean for it to happen like this. I meant for Zelly to get all painfully hurt and stuff. . . then I realized, "Wait a sec, it's fire. He can't get hurt! NO!!!" Sooo there it is, hope you liked it, please R&R. 


	5. Chapter 5

NOTES: Ah, no, didn't mean to make it sound like that was the end. ^^; Still lots more to go. I think.  
  
"Okay, Mazoku, where the hell did Xelloss go?" Lina shook her captive so hard it looked like his fake physical form would fall apart.  
"Hey! HEY! STOP IT! I don't know!" it said, trying to push her away. "I'll tell you everything I know, just stop!" What a wimp; Lina didn't even have to threaten it with a fireball.  
"Hey, Lina, be nice. . ." Gourry said. "He already told us he was Xelloss'."  
Amelia was looking particularly put-out. "Where did he take Zelgadiss?!" she probed.  
"I told you, I don't know!" it said. "I'll tell you anything. I'll- I'll tell you my orders! Just stop!"  
Lina sighed. "Fine, what were you ordered to do?"  
"Kill you, that's all," it said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
"Oh. I get it. Hey, wait a minute-FIREBALL!"  
  
Whenever Xelloss found a new emotion to make a victim feel, he made that victim feel it as much as he could, like a chef discovering a new flavor. If he could feel and taste that emotion as if it were his own, then all the better. It was much tastier that way, and good food was one of those things Xelloss truly enjoyed. That was what he thought his idea of Zelgadiss was: a good meal. Love was nothing compared to food, right?  
But if that was so, why did he hurt so badly now? Why did he want Zelgadiss to come back, hold him, and tell him it was all right? He wanted forgiveness. He felt guilt. Guilt, that one emotion Mazoku were not supposed to feel, particularly not higher Mazoku. The only time he'd felt it before was because he'd let his master down. Did that mean Zelgadiss was his master or something? Oh, damn this thing called love!  
Love? Did he really love Zelgadiss? He'd said so before, and he'd believed it. Yes, he loved him, and he hurt him. He tore him apart inside, he wrenched out his heart. Normally he would be rejoicing. Feasting! Wallowing in the feelings of his victim! Why couldn't he now, damn it?!  
[Xelloss,] called a voice, stirring him out of his thoughts.  
[Juuou-sama,] Xelloss responded, and bowed on the astral plane. His physical body remained in its position on Zel's bed; if Zel came back, he didn't want to be bowing. Wait, did that mean there was a chance Zel would return? Maybe. Maybe. He hoped.  
[Xelloss!] his master called again. [Stop with those thoughts and pay attention.]  
[Ah, sorry,] Xelloss winced mentally. [How may I serve you, master?]  
He heard a sigh from her end. [Dolphin decided to be a pest,] she said. [They're only lesser beings, but I want them dead.] Xelloss smiled. Obviously, his master had sensed his turmoil. She was trying to distract him. How lucky he was to have such a master. [I need them gone by dinnertime this afternoon; I'm having guests.]  
[Yes, master, it should be simple,] Xelloss said with a grin, and teleported home to get to work.  
  
Lina was starting to become impatient. It had been an hour already, and Zelgadiss hadn't returned. She was starting to become worried, too, but that wasn't the point. "OHHH, DAMN it ZEL, where in HELL are you?!" She paced back and forth, stomping the ground as she went.  
"Uh, Lina-san. . ." Amelia intervened.  
"WHAT?!" All at once, Lina's fury was focused on a single point: Amelia. She strode right up to her, that angry-Lina-aura surrounding her. "Is there something wrong, Amelia?"  
"No! No, nothing wrong at all," Amelia coughed. "I was just going to mention our friend here-" She gestured to Xelloss' minion, who was cowering over in the corner.  
"Oh no, she's going to get me, she's going to get me," it was whimpering. "Save me master! SAVE ME!"  
"Gods DAMN IT ALL, you're still here?!" she hissed at the Mazoku.  
"Oh no, Xelloss-sama! Don't leave me here with that crazy red-headed- " "FIREBALL! ELMEKIA FLAME! "  
"Oh please, please, please don't hurt me!" Too late. Minion go boom.  
"Uh.Lina, don't you think that was a little harsh?" Gourry asked.  
"FIREBALL!" Idiot go boom. Then the Enemy of All Who Lives turned to the Princess of Seiruun, and uttered a question. "Anything else bugging you, Amelia?"  
"Uh, no, nothing at all."  
  
Zelgadiss was walking through fog so dense he couldn't see the path in front of him. He had planned on meeting up with Lina, but now, that didn't really seem to matter. So he walked, and the fog soaked him through. Why couldn't he be in charge of his emotions for once, he asked himself. Why did he have to let this fog take him over? He wanted to blame it all on Xelloss, he wanted to hate him, but he knew that wasn't possible. He loved him.  
Maybe he had been too brash. Maybe, given time, Xelloss would have stopped the mind games. Maybe he would have stopped playing with him. Maybe, if he had waited, Xelloss wouldn't have thought of him as just some toy.  
Yeah right. And maybe, given time, foxes would stop stealing chickens.  
He sighed; he was tired. He looked around for a place to rest, and he realized he had no clue where he was. No matter, he just had to trace the path back to the. . . inn? When he looked, there was no path behind him. Only fog. The path ahead was as clear as day, with the sun shining down upon it. What the hell? Oh well, there was no point in trying to find his way back now. He'd just have to keep pressing forward.  
Deep down he knew how illogical his thought pattern was, but oddly enough, that feeling never made it to the surface.  
  
MORE NOTES: Hope you liked it, please R&R. ^_^ We new fanfic authors need them reviews methinks. 


	6. Chapter 6

Notes: Hi guys! ^^; sorry I haven't added anything for a while. To make it up to you, I'm going to write a nice, long chapter.

Whoa, I haven't had much romantic interaction at all between Zel and Xel, have I?! Dude. Well, that'll have to change. Hm.

Xelloss appeared in the stormy, thundering air above his beloved birthplace. Wolf Pack Island, his dear home sweet home. He took in the landscape with a kind of satisfaction. It was just the same as it always was; there was a miniature, almost cozy-looking castle on one corner of the island (of course, once you entered the building, you entered subspace; and inside subspace was where the _real _castle was), and the rest was surrounded by wild forest. He knew that demons and mortal animals of all kinds lived in there, rejected minions and/or food for his master and her pack. They struggled to survive in those hunts, and of course his master was always victorious.Chaos ensued; it was a battleground of sorts.

Today was no different, with those minions of Dolphin's on the island. Probably for the fun of it, his master had only sent very low-level demons to fight the intruders. This resulted in more deaths on each side; it was simply more chaotic than normal. A grim, eager smile spread across his face; here, more than anywhere else, he could be himself.

He decided he would savor this battle. He needed the distraction. Perhaps the fear and pain of his victims would chase away the odd feelings of guilt trapped inside. Pushing thoughts of why away, he unleashed his aura. He allowed his dark cape to flutter about him, opened his slitted purple eyes, and descended upon the battlefield, ready to strike fear into the hearts of the foolish intruders.

All eyes turned to him as he landed. All fighting had stopped. And, being what he was, he didn't need to look into their eyes to know how afraid of him they were. Good, they should be. "Good afternoon," he smiled at them, adding to the effect. The lesser minions squeaked and shivered. "Those of you who are minions of my lord Beastmaster. . .come forward." The foolish intruders, having less brains altogether than in a single potted plant, all stepped forward. [Right, stay back,] he commanded his master's minions. Of course, he could tell simply by their aura who was Juuou-sama's and who belonged to the idiot Dolphin, but perhaps they hadn't thought of that. Idiots. Cannon fodder.

"Thank you. Others, you may leave," he said. They phased out. "Now, for the rest of you—failing to destroy intruders is a serious offense." He grinned. They squawked. He took a step towards them; they took a step back. "Come here," he ordered. They ran. They didn't even think to phase out. Not that it would have done them much good. He would have simply chased them there. Idiots.

With them running blindly, Xelloss simply had to place a nice entrance to a subspace pocket in front of them. Seal it up behind, and poof; he had his own little multicolored mini pocket torture chamber. The lesser minions squeaked and squawked. Nowhere to hide here. Mmmm, delicious, revitalizing fear. Always a taste one could rely upon. He chuckled to himself and set to work.

            He had no idea how much time had passed since he had started out on this path. No, it didn't seem like time really passed anymore. He vaguely seemed to remember a time when time did pass—or was it a place where time passed? Was that time/place just an illusion? He wasn't sure. Where was this place, anyway? Where had he been before? Had he been anywhere? Wait, just who's "he"?

            "Zelgadiss." A crystal-clear voice rang out through the fog, and he found that he remembered something. That was he. He was Zelgadiss. And he wasn't on a path; he was in some sort of reception room of royalty. Royalty?! He gasped and looked around. There were only a few other people in the room, but one was sitting on the throne. She was the one who had spoken; she had given him his name. And he had rudely been staring at her! He bowed deeply.

            "Forgive me," he uttered.

            "Why, there is nothing to forgive!" She laughed, and it was like the music of the sea: a single chuckle spoke of waves, seagulls, dolphins, and sharks. It had a harshness that told him of the dangers of the deep; but at the same time, it told of the beauty. It the most glorious thing he had ever heard. (Although, at this point, whether "ever" existed was rather debatable. Not to mention, he wasn't sure how he recognized waves, seagulls, dolphins and sharks in her laugh. Especially when sharks didn't make much noise—right?)

            Zelgadiss took that to mean he could straighten up again. He blinked at her, his master—she had given him life—and awaited her orders.

            Xelloss sighed. He sent a final jolt of black energy through his victim. The resulting death cry wasn't nearly as pleasurable as it should have been. Even the feelings of despair, fear, and hopelessness from the victim's former comrades didn't do much other than feed him. Even the death itself, coupled with the disappearing of the lesser Mazoku's physical shell, didn't bring pleasure. It was simply there, gray, dry, and ordinary. It paled in comparison to the first-hand emotions he received from Zelgadiss.

            _Zelgadiss_. Why couldn't he forget that name, even for a brief moment? Was this what "love" was? He had already admitted he felt it, but he hadn't thought this would be a part of it. He sighed once more, a sigh laden with misery and guilt. He looked up. The remaining intruders were huddled together, whimpering to themselves. It was pathetic, but somehow, he couldn't help but feel (gasp) sympathy for them. Cold, alone, ugly and whimpering, calling for their master to save them. Needing someone to love them, someone to save them. They were lost in the cold, and about to be destroyed by life. He shook his head. Thoughts rushed through his head, pitiful thoughts no high-level Mazoku should have: No, no, don't remind me of him. Stop it. Please, please, stop it. Don't remind me of that time. Not now, when I can't have him. Please!

But it was too late. The memory had been triggered. And there he was, that fateful night, sharing a room with Zelgadiss. He chuckled. "Zelgadiss-san, there's really no reason to sleep on the floor."

Zelgadiss grumbled at him in that delicious way of his. "I'm not sharing a bed with you," he said. He shivered at the thought; not visibly, but Xelloss could feel it, just like Xelloss could always feel what Zelgadiss felt. And in that moment, Xelloss knew: Zelgadiss was afraid to love him. That was why he didn't want to share a bed.

Xelloss chuckled at him. "What, you don't trust me?" Silly chimera. Fine, he would play his game.

"No, I don't trust you."

He felt Zelgadiss' stone body thud onto the floor. All alone on the cold floor. . .how like him. Xelloss rolled over to look him in the eyes. Purple, slitted eyes met little blue sapphires. "Don't worry," he grinned. "I wouldn't touch you if you didn't want me to."

Zelgadiss gulped. He couldn't look away from those eyes, Xelloss knew, and so he closed them and smiled. Comfortingly this time. The chimera managed to look away and rolled over, turning his back to the Mazoku. Oh, Zelgadiss, if you only knew. If only he could just say, "I feel the same." But Xelloss knew that if he tried that, Zelgadiss would run from him. He had to be tactful.

"So, Zel," Xelloss said, changing the subject, "How's life?"

"Fine."

Xelloss swallowed his laughter. "That's good, I suppose. No better than fine?"

A shrug.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. You know, Miss Amelia would be happy to change that for you."

            "Huh? She would?" What innocence.

            "Of course. I hear getting laid will really cheer up a human. In my experience, it often makes them a bit less grumpy, too." Zelgadiss, Xelloss thought, I love you. Take the hint already.

            "WHAT?!" Zelgadiss spurted out. "I would never! How can you even suggest taking advantage of her like that?! She's just a little kid. She's like my sister!"

            With Zel's back turned, it was safe for Xelloss to grin. "So, then, does that mean you like her or you don't?"

            "I don't," Zel hissed. "She's just a kid. And besides, she's. . ."

            "She's? She's what?" Xelloss pressed. A female?

            "Never mind, Xelloss. I don't see a reason to discuss this with you."

            "Okay." What delicious feelings were coming from him. "Then let's talk about something else."

            "I'd rather sleep," Zelgadiss mumbled.

            "Now that's a lie, and you know it," Xelloss chuckled at him.

            "No it's not," Zel grumbled. Zel turned his head a bit to look at the Mazoku. "I really want to sleep."

            "Well, all right, so maybe you'd _like _to sleep," Xelloss winked at him, "But you can't, is that right?"

            Zelgadiss sighed. "How would you know that?" he asked. He lay down on his back. Good, Xelloss finally had his attention.

            "I can sense feelings, Zelgadiss-san," Xelloss smiled at him. "Would you like to talk about it?"

            "Not particularly, no."

            "Zelgadiss, I won't force you," Xelloss sighed, "But I can tell you want to talk about it. Does it have to do with your cure?" Genuine concern lined his face. He was so pitiful; lying there, denying himself the company of others, but longing for it at the same time. If only he would allow himself to cry out for help.

             "Sort of," he admitted. His shield was already dissolving. It was visibly melting on his face; first the crossness disappeared, making his face blank.

            "Are you afraid you won't find it?" Xelloss whispered. Poor Zelgadiss. . .but you're so tasty, did you know that?

            "Yes." The blankness was gone. Now Zel's face looked resigned, hopeless.

            "Are you sure that's all it's about?" Xelloss asked him.

            "What do you mean? Of course that's all it's about!" Zel hissed.

            "You said earlier that the cure was only sort of the problem," Xelloss told him. "I'm just assuming you told me the truth."

            Zel swallowed. "Fine," he whimpered. "I'm lonely. I'm lonely, damn it. Does that satisfy your curiosity?! Is that enough for you?!" he snapped. He tried to stare challengingly into Xelloss' eyes, but he failed miserably. There was no challenge left in him. Was that a tear forming in his eye?

            "No," Xelloss whispered. For once, his face was honest. "I'm not just looking for a meal." Zel closed his eyes. Zelgadiss, you're delicious, Xelloss thought, but I admit that's not all I want. He appeared beside a startled Zelgadiss, and wrapped his arms around him.

            "Huh? Xelloss? What are—" Zel began.

            "Shhh," Xelloss said, "It's okay. I won't hurt you." Then he chuckled. "I'm not trying to feel you up, either. Just go to sleep, all right?"

            Zelgadiss calmed down. "All. . . all right. . ."

            Then he squeaked. Loudly. Xelloss opened his eyes, to see. . .damn. He wasn't hugging Zelgadiss at all; he was cuddling with a ghastly Dolphin-spawn. He gasped and shot it with a quick energy ball, killing it instantly. He shuddered. Business, right. He'd best make this quick, he honestly didn't want to see them hurt now. This was not good! Zelgadiss, what have you done? He gathered up a single massive energy ball, and BOOM, they were blasted out of existence. He shook his head. He had to find Zelgadiss and apologize, now. [I'm finished, master, excuse me,] he sent, and fled to the astral plane, where he continued to reminisce without distraction.

            After Xelloss appeared next to Zelgadiss, things started to speed up. Only, this time, it was Zelgadiss who said something first. "Uh, Xelloss, maybe you shouldn't be hugging me," he said quietly.

            "Why not?" Xelloss inquired.

            "Because. . .well. . ." Zelgadiss swallowed. Xelloss smiled. Somehow, Zel's uneasiness tasted so good.

            "Well?"

            "I'm gay," Zelgadiss whispered. "I think."

            "So?" Xelloss asked. "I suppose, if you were going to attach a label to me, you could call me bi. What's your point?"

            "Ah. . .really?" Zel asked.

            "Mmhmm," Xelloss said. "So what's the problem?"

            "Well, I. . ." Zelgadiss mumbled. "I think I might, well. . ."

            Xelloss chuckled in his ear. "Why are you afraid of it?" he asked. "Is there something wrong with one male being attracted to another? Do you think it is something that can be prevented or stopped?" He pulled the chimera closer, pressed him against his chest; the chimera might have felt inclined to wear pajamas, but Xelloss certainly didn't see a reason to. Zelgadiss blushed violet as soon as he realized this.

            "Ah, Xelloss," Zelgadiss tensed.

            "Hush," Xelloss whispered in Zel's ear. "Don't you realize how I feel about you?" he kissed the point of the delectably blue ear. "Don't you realize I can tell you feel the same?"

            Zelgadiss felt himself relaxing. It was too late to say no now; his hormones were reacting dangerously. "All right," he said.

            "Let me hear you say it, please," Xelloss said. "Tell me how you feel about me."

            "I like you, a lot," Zel swallowed. "I want you. I think about you every second. I'm not sure if it's love yet, but. . .well, I think. . .I think it might be. Is that enough?"

            "Plenty, Zelgadiss. Let's move over to the bed, shall we?"

            On the astral plane, less than a day after that wonderful event, Xelloss allowed himself to weep. Zelgadiss, he thought, I only hope you can forgive me.

            Lina, Gourry, and Amelia managed to find their way back to the inn. No more trekking into the unknown, they agreed, not when Zelgadiss was missing. Abducted by Xelloss, no less, and after Xelloss had attempted an attack on the party. This was bad. Maybe he was holding Zelgadiss hostage; they really had no way of knowing.

            Amelia sighed. "I say we shouldn't have killed that poor Mazoku," she said.

            Lina snorted, lifting her head up from the table briefly enough to say, "Since when did you start feeling pity for Mazoku?" Amelia shrugged. Lina groaned and lay her head down on the table again. "We just have to hope someone contacts us with some sort of ransom or something."

            "Hey, while we're here," Gourry said, "Why don't we get some food?"

            Right, they hadn't eaten since breakfast. Lina's stomach growled. "Right. Food. Nothing to make a gal feel better. Amelia, get me a waiter."

            "But, Lina-san. . ."

            "AMELIA," Lina hissed, "Get me a waiter!"

            "Eep, uhh, I'll get one," Gourry said, leaping up.

            At that moment, a figure entered the inn, unchanged and unharmed (aside from an odd look on his face). "Zel!" Gourry grinned. "Hey, how are ya?"

            "Zelgadiss-san. . .?" Amelia blinked.

            When he spoke, his voice seemed a bit. . .well, happy. It had a kind of odd jingle to it. "Hello, Amelia, Lina, Gourry," he said. He smiled a little, as if he'd accomplished something—only, rather goofily. [Play your part,] hissed the voice in his head.

            [Ah, sorry master,] he responded, and wiped the smile off of his face. He cleared his throat and sat down at the table, as if nothing had happened.

            "Zelgadiss Greywers," Lina hissed, "Where in hell have you been?!"

            "Ah. . .around. Where's Xelloss?" Zel asked.

            "No idea," Lina said. "I half expected him to be with you."

            Zel nodded. "Hm. Well, tell me if he comes. I'm going up to my room."

            "Right, right," Lina waved. "Gourry, where's that waiter?!"

            "Ah, right, sorry." Gourry rushed off.

More Notes: So, how's that? Better with really long installments or a few short ones? Please R&R. ^^


	7. Chapter 7

Notes: With this chapter, things start to heat up a bit. This one's rated R, but it's not a bad R. I softened it up as much as I could.

            Xelloss couldn't deal with this anymore. Enough was enough. It was time to go down there and tell Zelgadiss how he felt, beg for forgiveness, and hope for the best. It wasn't very becoming of a Mazoku of his station, but what else could he do? Zelgadiss, he thought, you're the one who's trapped _me_.

            It was a simple matter to pinpoint him. There was his essence, in the room they'd shared. He was alone, good, perfect. From his perch in the astral plane, he seemed to be rather calm at the moment, and for once a bit _cheerful_. What did that mean? Maybe he had gotten rid of some of that anger. Or maybe he was simply asleep; night _had _fallen on the physical plane. Something else seemed a bit odd about him, but now wasn't the time to try and sort that out.

            Without any more thought, Xelloss appeared outside the door. Pausing any longer and the courage he had left would surely leave him. He took a deep breath and knocked.

            "Come in." Zelgadiss' voice sounded low and seductive. What was this? Was he expecting him? Was he expecting someone else…? He was definitely radiating lust signals…

            The door squeaked open, and Xelloss found Zelgadiss lying on his side facing the door, naked and flaunting it. He was obviously aroused; more than that, he looked almost on the brink of climax. He didn't need to taste Zelgadiss' emotions to tell what he had been doing. Masturbating! This was a new development. _Zelgadiss_ had been masturbating? The stone chimera who hated to see himself in the mirror? Not that he saw anything wrong with it (he was definitely not someone to talk) but _Zel_ wouldn't do something like that…right?

On the other hand, why should he complain? That was a nice figure on the bed there, and he didn't seem at all unhappy to see him. Quite the opposite.

"Why Xelloss," came a gruff voice from the bed, "What a pleasant surprise."

"Zel…?" Xelloss' voice seemed suddenly very squeaky. Get a hold of yourself, he rebuked. Be a Mazoku. What is wrong with you?! What is wrong with Zelgadiss? Xelloss felt his face flush. No, no! Stop! He forced the blood of his physical cusp out of his face. He felt his breathing turn ragged. Stop that! He stopped breathing. He felt a tightening in his pants. Not much he could do about that one.

            "Something wrong?" Zel grinned. It was a predatory, seductive, eager grin. Is this really you, Zelgadiss? The sapphire eyes drifted down Xelloss' form, and the Mazoku felt as if he was being raked by them. These were the same eyes that had captured him before, weren't they? Why did they seem so different now, so cold and lifeless? The eyes halted, and Xelloss looked to see what those icy jewels were looking at. The bulge in his pants. "I guess not. Come join me, Xelloss." Zelgadiss patted the bed beside him.

            "But, Zel," Xelloss said, "I…" he swallowed. Regain your pride, Mazoku, said one voice in Xelloss' head. The other one screamed, Come back to me, Zelgadiss. "We need to talk."

            "You want to talk? Sure, we can talk. After." The chimera's smile changed, as if he were trying a different strategy. It became welcoming, almost pleading for Xelloss to join him. It was almost too much for Xelloss. He wanted to obey that smile and just leap into bed with him, but more importantly, he wanted to hug him. He wanted to make up, cuddle him, and _then_ take him. That somehow didn't seem possible _now_. Zelgadiss didn't even seem like he was in his right mind.

            "Zel, I'll come back later," Xelloss whispered. "We really need to talk."

            Zel snorted and rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine, be that way." He sighed and reached down to his crotch. Right there in front of Xelloss, he began pleasuring himself. Xelloss stared.

            Aaaah, so much had happened since his birth. As he lay down in front of Xelloss, the evil one, he remembered his orders. He remembered being in that throne room, sitting beside her. She had elevated him to a place of power, even though she had only just created him. She put so much trust in him! He really didn't deserve it.

"So you see," his master was explaining, "You need to kill him. You need to kill him before he gets to you. You must use all means necessary. Do you understand?"

            "Yes, master," Zelgadiss smiled at her and gave a nod of a bow from his sitting position. He didn't care if this Xelloss killed him, all he cared about was what his master wanted him to do. She had created him, she owned him, she had saved him from the fog. She had given him a purpose. And most importantly, she cared about him. Everything she ordered him to do was in his own interest.

            He watched her as she talked. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever set eyes on. (Of course, he had only just been born, but she was anyway.) The way her blue hair curled around her face, those dark and mysterious teal eyes. He felt like he could just stare into them forever, lose himself in them, and never find his way out. Briefly, he thought that reminded him of someone, but no matter. It was probably his new mind playing tricks on him. For he had only existed here, in this throne room, with _her_.

            Xelloss tore his eyes away from the chimera. "I have to leave now," he said in a whisper dangerously close to a helpless whimper.

            "No," Zelgadiss said, "Stay. We can talk." He patted the bed beside him. "Sit."

"I-I'm sorry, Zelgadiss. I can't deal with you like this. We'll talk later. Please forgive me." With that, Xelloss slipped out the door. Was he _running away?!_ He had best change his attitude soon, or his master would (at the very least) get very, very pissy. And Lina paled in comparison to his master when she was angry.

Notes: Yeah, yeah, I know it's short. But there's a reason for it. I went on a writing binge not too long ago, and I came out with this one seven-page chapter. It was like, dude, I can't make people read this long thing. It's too confusing all together. So, I'm splitting it up, enriching the detail (or trying to) and posting a chapter every couple of days. At least, that's my goal. 


	8. Chapter 8

Notes: Woohoo! Update! I know it's early, but the last one was just a li'l too short. And this is from my writing binge, anyways.

Thankies for your reviews peoples! Oh, and an apology: there isn't going to be much humor for a while now. Gomen ne!

            The three remaining travelers, Lina, Gourry, and Amelia, sat at the table together eating dinner, oblivious to the drama going on around them. "Lina-san, don't you think Zelgadiss was acting a bit strange when he came back today?" Amelia inquired as soon as the dinner plates had been cleared away.

            "I s'pose," Lina shrugged. "Probably had something to do with wherever he was. Maybe he accomplished something." She rolled her eyes. "And without telling us he was doing anything, either. I should give him a piece of my mind…"

            Then, at that moment, a door squeaked open upstairs. "I'm sorry, Zelgadiss," said a voice. Xelloss's. "I can't deal with you like this. We'll talk later. Please forgive me." Lina lifted an eyebrow. The door closed, and Xelloss could be heard making his way slowly down the stairs. He looked…tired. "Hello Lina, Gourry, Amelia," Xelloss smiled at them, but for once it wasn't very convincing at all. "How are you three doing?"

            Lina lifted an eyebrow. "What're you doing here?"

            "Huh?" Xelloss blinked.

            "Don't pretend you don't know anything," Lina hissed. "You know what you did."

            "Oh, uh, that…" Xelloss sighed. "Please, can we set our disagreements aside for now?"

            "After that stunt you pulled? I don't think so! I think you need to be taught a lesson." Lina was up and grinning at him, her favorite predatory-Lina smile. The one that said, "You been bad, so Lina get to punish you!"

            "Gee, I'm sorry Lina, but you know…orders are orders." He shrugged. He didn't really want to have a confrontation with her _now_, with Zelgadiss already mad at him. (He was mad, right?) He might wind up killing her, and although that would make his master happy, he didn't want to do _anything_ to hurt Zel.

            "Orders are orders my ass." Lina snorted and started to form a fireball.

            "Lina-san, please don't do this," Xelloss pleaded.

Pleaded? Lina halted and lifted an eyebrow. "Something wrong with you too, Xelloss?"

            "Ah…no, not exactly," Xelloss swallowed. This new attitude was _not _befitting of a Mazoku of his status. He had to get back to normal, _fast_, even if that meant…no, nothing was worth hurting Zel. Ruby-eye, this was bad.

            "Xelloss-san, what's wrong?" Amelia's eyebrow furrowed. "Sit down, please." Lina looked at her like she was crazy, but she ignored it.

            "I'm afraid I promised Zel I wouldn't tell," Xelloss sighed. It was full of resignation and hopelessness. "But perhaps, under the circumstances…If you guessed it, I suppose it wouldn't really count."

            Amelia stared. "What? What happened to Zelgadiss-san?!"

            "Nothing bad." Xelloss shook his head. "Just well, something between me and him."

            Lina stared. "You and _him_?! You two? I thought he hated you."

            Xelloss let out a breath. "Right on the money, as usual." That's the smart flame for you… "Zelgadiss and I were together…briefly."

            Amelia sniffed. "What? But, but, how could he choose you over me?!"

            "Amelia, you idiot," Lina grumbled. "He said 'were.' Past tense. Calm down." She turned to Xelloss. "So what happened? Why aren't you together anymore?"

            "We had a disagreement," Xelloss said. He sighed. "No, I mistreated him. I suppose it is my nature. And I greatly regret it. But now I realize how much I, well, love him…"

            Strangely enough, Amelia hadn't taken it as badly as Xelloss thought she would. She seemed to have already recovered. Or perhaps she was simply distracted by that word he used, one of her favorites: love. "Love? Oh! So you two loved each other, but your horrible evil Mazoku nature got in the way! How sad…" She lowered her head as if in mourning. "If only you hadn't been born a Mazoku! It's still not too late, Xelloss-san, to turn away from your evil ways!"

            Perhaps it would have been nicer if she had been bawling or accusing him of seducing Zelgadiss. Yes, that would have been much more pleasant. "Well, in any case," he interrupted, "I was going to apologize to him, but certain…circumstances…has made that impossible."

            "Circumstances?" Amelia asked. Gourry snored. Lina listened intently, but rolled her eyes a bit at Amelia's antics.

            "Well, he's acting rather strangely," Xelloss commented.

            Lina nodded. "Right. We thought it had something to do with wherever you took him, but I suppose that's not the case…?"

            Xelloss shook his head. "I took him to his room. After we, uh, fought a bit—" at this, Xelloss started to have trouble. He sniffled and choked, while Amelia patted him on the back. She waited for him to continue. "Zelgadiss left. My master called me and I left. I don't know what he's been up to."

            Lina nodded. "I see," she said. "In that case, we'll just have to ask him. Come on, guys, we're going upstairs."

            "I wouldn't suggest that," Xelloss said.

            "Why not?" Lina asked.

            "Well…ah, never mind." Probably wouldn't hurt Zelgadiss any, so what did he care? Lina shrugged and ran up the stairs.

            She pounded on the door. "ZEL! Let us in!" No answer. Xelloss, overhearing, smirked a bit. "We're coming—" Lina opened the door, to find a naked, aroused Zelgadiss attempting to pull on some pants. "In."

            "Oh, hi Lina!" Zelgadiss said a bit too cheerfully. "Hey Amelia, Gourry." Silence. "What's up, guys?" He looked up to see all three of them staring, blushing, and looking rather scarred. Well, Amelia and Lina were anyway. Gourry was just grinning.

            "Uh…I…ah…excuse me!!!" Amelia scrambled out the door and slammed it shut.

            "Hey, you're kinda small in the nether regions, aren't you?" Gourry grinned. "That's all right, Lina's kinda small in the—" BAM. Instant unconscious Gourry.

            "AAAH!" Broken out of her trance, Lina flung open the door and flung herself out of it. Zelgadiss was left alone in the room with an unconscious Gourry.

            Zelgadiss noted that Gourry was, in some ways, rather nice-looking. And Zelgadiss was rather aroused. Xelloss obviously didn't feel like playing, and his master probably wouldn't mind… [Do you, master?]

            [I don't see a reason why I should. Go ahead,] she responded. It might actually be of use. This minion of hers was, indeed, turning out to be very useful. And playful, too. Not to mention a perfect assassin for the job, considering Xelloss' attachment to her minion's former self.

            [Thank you, master,] Zelgadiss grinned.

            As soon as she was downstairs, the first thing Lina did was give Xelloss a nice bop on the head. "Oof! Ow, Lina-san, what was that for?"

            "You could've _warned_ us, you dimwit," Lina snarled. Lina-anger. If he wasn't so depressed, he would have enjoyed it.

            "But I tried," Xelloss smirked a little. "Ah well, no matter. By the way, where's Gourry?"

            "Oh, I guess he's still in there," Lina observed with a shrug.

            Amelia blinked. "You left him in there with Zelgadiss-san?" Lina shrugged. "Then why hasn't Zelgadiss-san tossed him out yet?" Lina shrugged again.

            Xelloss paused a moment and tapped a finger on the table absently. "I think I will taste his aura," he announced. "The closer I am, the more I can sense." He phased out.

"Taste his aura?" Amelia whispered to Lina.

Lina shrugged. "Must be some Mazoku thing." 

            When Xelloss phased in again outside the door, his eyes began to widen. With the sounds they were making in there, one didn't have to be a Mazoku to be able to guess what was going on. Zelgadiss was…with someone else? With GOURRY?!

Xelloss started to panic. Had he done something wrong? Was this revenge? Or had he snapped? He had half a mind to teleport in there and just hold him close, tell him it was going to be all right. Maybe something was really wrong with Zelgadiss. Maybe he needed to be comforted, maybe that was all. Maybe he _should _have let Zelgadiss seduce him, if it would have helped.

But the other half of him was disgusted and hurt. Had Zelgadiss chosen someone else? Maybe Zelgadiss was just trying to get on his nerves. Maybe he had been even more angry than Xelloss had thought. He shuddered as he heard Zelgadiss' moans, heard him yell out Gourry's name. No, he couldn't take any more of this! He teleported back downstairs, his eyes wide and fearful.

            "Xelloss? Xelloss, what's up? You look like you've seen a ghost." Lina waved her hand in front of his face. He didn't move.

            "Xelloss-san…? You're scaring me," Amelia whimpered. "Is Zelgadiss-san all right?"

            "I'm not sure." The words came out as a hoarse whisper.

            "Well? Did you sense his aura?" Lina asked him.

            "No," Xelloss said. "I was rather…distracted, I'm afraid. He and Gourry are…" This was all too confusing. He shook his head.

            "Zelgadiss-san and Gourry?" Amelia blinked. "Are…are having s-sex?"

            Xelloss nodded. "Fucking like there's no tomorrow." For Xelloss, it was a little easier to put it that way. Not for the two girls. They paled.

            "XELLOSS! YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO PUT IT LIKE THAT!" BAM. Lina's Iron Fist of Doom came down upon the head of the sinner. If Xelloss were human, he would have been knocked rather unconscious.

            "Ow. Lina, you don't have to hit so hard."

            "Serves you right."

            His master smiled at him. "When you return to that world," she said, "A few memories might try to make themselves known. That's just Xelloss's doing. Those memories are fake. You must disregard them entirely. Am I understood?"

            Zelgadiss nodded. "Yes, master."

            "Also remember that the memories I have given you are fake," she informed him. "Parts of them may seem real. They are just an illusion, so that you may play your part more fully. Interrupt me if you don't understand something." Zelgadiss nodded again to show he understood perfectly. She continued. "Your true birth was just a few hours ago. If something happens that makes you want to question that, contact me. I will help you through it. I think that's it…ah, if you complete your mission successfully, I will reward you. And don't forget how to use the power I gave you. That is the key to the success of all of this. Tell me you understand."

            "I understand, my master," Zelgadiss said.

            "Good." She smiled again; he loved to see her smile. "Then you may leave." The chimera disappeared from sight. Her smile grew into a smirk.

            Zelgadiss looked down at the cute figure framed in gold. It was really very pretty in its own way; all his hair twirling around his face, encompassing him. And those pitch-black closed eyelashes. Delicious. After all that activity, he had fallen asleep. He really _was_ an idiot, just like those memories told him. So helpless and fragile, despite those big muscles of his. Even after he'd awoken, Gourry had not resisted at all to Zel's seduction. He had just said something like, "Oh, sure, Zel, okay. You want me to do this?" Jellyfish brains. He wondered if he was Gourry's first. Could be. He might not even have known what sex really was. Oh well.

Hm, now what should he do, now that Gourry was asleep? He was rather exhausted himself, so there wasn't much point in molesting him again. Perhaps he should just kill him, then feed on his pain like his master had taught him to do. Sure, why not? It would be fun. He needed to experiment with his power anyway. Yes, master, he thought, I will test out that power now.

            It was a simple matter. All he had to do was take out the black energy from inside, form it into a ball, and plunge it into the blondie. And so he formed it, big and black and deadly. And then he straddled Gourry's naked body, just for the full effect. Damn he slept soundly; he could hear quiet snores. He lowered the black death ball down onto his skin, then began to push it through. Mmmm, what a pleasant sensation.

            Gourry's eyes snapped open. He screamed. Zelgadiss leapt back. What the hell was he doing?! But it was too late! "GOURRY!" he called out.

            "Hey, Zel," the voice rang through his head. Gourry's, from this morning. He was downstairs, looking at his friends' smiling faces. He liked it when they smiled at him. It reminded him that he had friends, and that they cared about him. It was nice.

            Zelgadiss blinked at the gory form of the former swordsman. What was he just remembering? Ah well, no matter. He grinned. That had been fun.

            And then there were two: a red-headed sorceress and a Seyruun princess.


	9. Chapter 9

NOTES: I'm going to rush through posting these. They're so…dark. Sniff. Don't kill me peoples. ^^; It'll be all happy joy joy romancey stuff again eventually. (err it never really was, though, was it? ^^;;;; )

            "GOUURY!" Lina's scream interrupted Zelgadiss' enjoyment of the death energy. He glanced up; there was that little flame, rushing to the side of her dead blonde. He was surprised the girl could tell it was him, considering what little remained.

It was indeed a gruesome sight. There was the redhead, crouched beside the bloody bed, grasping at the bits of flesh that lay about. Her hands were covered in the crimson liquid, and she hid her face in a slightly less saturated piece of blanket.

Then there was the chimera, naked and lying to the side of the body, also splattered in the blonde's blood. Something seemed wrong to him about this situation, but he couldn't quite place his finger on it. At least her emotions tasted delicious. "Gou-gourry. Gourry…" The girl just continued saying his name. He almost pitied her as she picked up a disconnected lock of his golden hair. Her horror-stricken, soulless face lifted to watch her hand feel the softness of the lock. Soon it wasn't blonde anymore at all; she had covered it with his blood.

            But no, pity was a thing he didn't feel. Right? His master told him he didn't need to feel pity. Or guilt. And these strange memories trying to resurface, memories of fighting side by side with Lina—and Gourry—were fake. And his master was always right. Always. But the look in her eyes when she happened to look up into his; despair, fear, hopelessness. Emptiness. That wasn't the fiery Lina he knew. Or, no, the Lina that was in his fake memories. He started to feel not just guilty, but horrified at what he had done.

            "Lina-san, what's happening?" And then up came innocent little Amelia, the untarnished Seyruun princess. She rushed in to help with a worried expression on her face, and stopped, horrified. "Gourry-san?! Zel-zelgadiss-san, did you do this?"

            He couldn't bare it. Even if his memories of these people were fake, he couldn't bare to see them so…hurt. It hurt him to see them like this. He sat up, and was about to phase out, when—

            "Going somewhere?" A hand grasped his arm. A nice, familiar hand, but one that seemed to carry danger. He was yanked out of the bed, onto the floor. Purple, slitted eyes glared down at him. He didn't want those eyes to glare. He wanted them to smile at him, he wanted to be the one to make those eyes happy. "I'll deal with this, Lina, Amelia." They didn't respond.

The hand carried Zelgadiss away into another room, probably somewhere else in the inn. He was thrown onto the floor. "Who are you, and what have you done with Zelgadiss?!"

The man gave him a mighty kick, and he flew across the room. He hit the edge of a drawer hard; it collapsed, and the edge managed to make its way through his skull. He bled. This, _this _was the terror his master had told him about. Xelloss _was _there to kill him. He forced any ideas of a comforting, loving Xelloss out of his mind.

            "I _am _Zelgadiss," he hissed, staring with defiance into the enemy's purple eyes. But when he met them, he began to remember…

"I really do love you." That was him. That was _him_. He was Zelgadiss! These memories felt too real to be fake.

            "You know, I think I love you, too." That was _him_, Xelloss. He had said that. It felt too real, too much a part of himself, for it to be a lie.

            But that same voice hissed at him, those same purple slitted eyes glared at him with all their wrath, "You are _not _Zelgadiss. Zelgadiss would never do something like that to Gourry. Tell me, what have you done with him?"

            "Wait, Xelloss," he said. "Stop. It's me." He struggled to stand. He was naked; how embarrassing.

            "Your master didn't even _attempt _to make your aura _seem _like Zelgadiss'," Xelloss snorted. Zelgadiss could taste a huge amount of anger coming off of the Mazoku; it fed him, but it did not please him. He didn't want Xelloss to be angry at him. Not to mention, Xelloss looked ready to kill him.

            He didn't want Xelloss, his lover, to be the one to kill him.

Xelloss unleashed a small ball of energy, just enough to send Zelgadiss into spasms. The chimera fell to the ground again, wriggling, writhing in pain. Xelloss seemed to wince at that, but he prepared another energy ball. He hissed again, "Where is Zelgadiss? Tell me and I might let you live." Xelloss, Zelgadiss thought, don't do this. It's me, Zelgadiss.

            As soon as he stopped writhing, he squeaked out, "I'm right here… Xelloss, stop, please!"

            Xelloss paused, and for a moment the anger was gone from his eyes. But it returned. "I don't believe you. How DARE you take his form! How DARE you sully his name!"

            "But Xelloss," Zelgadiss said hoarsely, "It's me. Can't you tell?"

            The anger dissipated. Xelloss looked down at the pitiful, bleeding form of his former lover. "Zel-zelgadiss?" he blinked. He leaned down, peering into the sapphire eyes. "Zelgadiss?! Is that you?"

            This was his chance. All he had to do was kill him, now, and his master would be happy. His master would bring him back. His master would tell him what was wrong, why these strange memories were taking hold. She would explain everything, and she would reward him. And she would be happy. And all this confusion in his mind would end. Wouldn't that be good?

            But…but…

            _I love you._ As he looked into those purple slitted eyes, he started to realize where he was. He was still on that path, more or less, that path in the fog. He had never come out of it. But at the same time, he was being pulled out. Xelloss was rescuing him through their strange bond. He was being pulled back into himself, back into reality. Here he was, on the floor, in the arms of his love.

            "Zelgadiss," Xelloss said. "It is you. Oh no, Ruby-eye, I hurt you! I hurt you _again_. No! Zelgadiss, please forgive me, please, please forgive me." The Mazoku held the gory chimera close, and his tears mingled with blood.


	10. Chapter 10

NOTES: This one was going to be rather short, but that would've meant I would have to stop at a moderately depressing point. There's been too much morbid stuff in this already, so I thought, damn it, I couldn't end this chapter there.

Oh, and for those who wondered: I don't consider a brau demon to be a Mazoku. Maybe it is, maybe it ain't, but I don't consider it to be. So, now Zel's part brau demon, part golem, part human, and about half Mazoku. Gee, he's only a sixth human, isn't he?

            "Zelgadiss," Xelloss said. "It is you. Oh no, Ruby-eye, I hurt you! I hurt you _again_. No! Zelgadiss, please forgive me, please, please forgive me." The Mazoku held the gory chimera close, and his tears mingled with blood. He backed up for a moment, just enough to examine his chimera. "But, but what happened? You're part Mazoku." He gasped. "Who did this to you?" He paused, waiting for a response, but it was obvious Zelgadiss was in no condition to make one. "No, don't say anything. I need to get you healed. Let me get Amelia." With that, he phased out and back, the Seyruun princess in his arms.

            "Huh? What? Xelloss-san," Amelia pleaded, "You have to help. Lina-san…" then she saw Zelgadiss' broken figure. "Oh, no!" She rushed to his side and began a healing spell.

            "Don't worry about Lina-san," Xelloss said, and entered the room of Gourry's deathbed once more.

            Looking at the picture in front of him almost made the so-called heartless Mazoku weep. The flame had been snuffed out, and all it had taken was the death of her best friend. She had been weaker than she seemed. Seeing her there, kneeling by Gourry's deathbed, actually moved his heart to pity. Zelgadiss' fault, no doubt. He shook his head. "Lina-san," he said, quietly but firmly.

            For once, it caught her attention. "X-xelloss?" She jerked up, and then turned to him. Xelloss winced; she was covered in Gourry's remains, from her neck up. Her face was covered in his blood. "Xelloss! I'm so glad you're here." She stood. With those empty eyes and the blood dripping off her face, it was obvious the demon called madness had taken over.

            "You are?" Xelloss asked.

            Lina nodded fervently. "Gourry's hurt," she said. "But it's all right, because I know you can save him. You can change him into a Mazoku, right?" Xelloss hung his head. Lina's tone changed dramatically, and she fell to her knees begging. "Please! Xelloss, save him. He won't mind that he's a Mazoku. I don't care. I don't care, as long as he's there."

            "As long as he's by your side?" Xelloss asked.

            Lina nodded. "Yes! Yes, as long as he's by my side! I'll—I'll make the Pledge, too, if you want me to. Or I could become a Mazoku. I'll do anything!" She bowed her head. "Just…as long as he's there."

            Xelloss shook his head. "All I can do is send you to him," he said. He opened his eyes to look into hers. His evil purple, world-wise eyes met red soulless, lost ones.

            "Yes! Please, please send me to him!" Lina grinned, cracking the drying blood on her face.

            It was a simple matter for Xelloss to destroy her then. No, the flame had already been destroyed. He was simply sending the body to join it.

            KABOOM.

            [Xelloss,] came the message from his master, [Is the girl dead?]

            [Yes master,] Xelloss responded. [She is dead, and will no longer pose any sort of threat to the Mazoku race.]

            [Well done,] Zelas responded. [Now go see your lover. Thanks to my—_suggestion_—Dolphin has released her hold on Zelgadiss entirely. Not that she could have held on very long, with all those strange changes in you, Xelloss.]

            [Strange changes?] Xelloss asked.

            [This human thing called 'love.' Be careful, my general, that it doesn't take control.]

            [Yes, master. Thank you, master.]

            [Welcome. Now go see your lover.]

            Amelia arranged Zelgadiss on the floor, careful not to move him too much, and began her healing spell. It "sputtered" a bit before she got it right; it took more concentration than she could give it at the moment. But, well, healing a person was much easier than trying to sort out the mess her life had just become. So she managed to heal the chimera, slowly, focusing all her energy on one task.

            But then Zelgadiss spoke. "Amelia," he whispered.

            "Yes?" Amelia spoke in a calm, quiet, even tone. "What is it?"

            "What just happened?" the chimera asked. "Did I really just…?"

            "Yes," Amelia said. "I think so. Zelgadiss-san, are you all right?" She finished her healing spell and backed up a bit.

            KABOOM. "What the—" Zel started and attempted to stand, but Xelloss had appeared in front of him, catching and holding his gaze. Xelloss seemed somehow—broken, sad, world-weary, but a moment in Zel's gaze and that evaporated.

            "Zelgadiss…" Xelloss surprised even himself as he leaped into Zelgadiss' arms, holding him close, drawing him in, becoming one once more with his love. "Zelgadiss, I promise you, everything will be all right from now on. I just received news that Zelas-sama—" he paused to chuckle—"_talked_ with Dolphin. She figured it out, and convinced Dolphin to release her hold on you."

            Zelgadiss didn't respond for a moment. Xelloss, curious, examined Zelgadiss' emotions, along with his wide-eyed expression. Bewildered. He was bewildered by it all. Did he have any idea what was going on? Xelloss took it as a hint. Maybe he shouldn't be holding him so close, as much as it hurt to be separated. He broke the hug and stepped away a little, closing his eyes. "That's why you're part Mazoku, Zel," Xelloss explained. Dolphin had a minion of hers merge with you." Zelgadiss, Zelgadiss, Xelloss thought. I want you. I love you. Do you love me?

            "Zelgadiss-san is part Mazoku?!" the princess eeped. Xelloss nodded; he would have responded with a snide comment, but he didn't have the heart to at the moment.

            "Oh," Zelgadiss said. "What's the Mazoku part doing now?"

            "Nothing," Xelloss said. He cracked a bit of a smile. Good, Zel thought, that smile belongs on your face. "I think you managed to subdue it. Or I did with my presence, something of the sort." Zel nodded. He opened his mouth to speak, but screams and exclamations from the other room ended the conversation. Someone had found the bodies. "Ah, perhaps we'd better go," Xelloss suggested. He opened a window and leaped out.

            He didn't hop, Zelgadiss noticed with a sigh. He just leaped. Zelgadiss frowned and Ray Winged out of there, Amelia following. Xelloss didn't hop.

            The silent party let down about a few miles away, beside a large stream in the middle of a forest. It was going on midnight, and it was obvious the human member of the party wasn't going to be able to last much longer. "Good place to make camp?" Xelloss suggested. The other members of the party—a human and a part-human—nodded in agreement.

            "But, gee," Amelia realized, "We left all our camping equipment and food in the inn."

            Xelloss shrugged. "That's all right," he said. "Food shouldn't be a problem with this stream here, and we can probably create some sort of makeshift tent."

            "For three people?" Amelia asked. Then a light dawned. "Ohh, for me."

            "That's right," Xelloss said, patting the golem/brau demon/human/Mazoku on the back. "Zelgadiss doesn't need nearly as much sleep anymore." Zelgadiss watched in interested silence as Xelloss unclasped his cape and allowed it to fall to the ground. "It's a big cape, you should be able to make some kind of tent. Put it on a tree branch or something. Zelgadiss and I need to talk." He placed a hand on Zelgadiss' shoulder, just barely more than brushing it. He didn't want to make Zelgadiss uncomfortable.

            "Oh…uh…all right," Amelia said. She plucked the cape up from the ground and looked at it skeptically, then up at the tree branches above her. High above her. Apparently, these trees didn't have any branches anywhere near the ground. "Hey, wait, they're all…" She turned to look, but Zelgadiss and Xelloss had disappeared. "Xelloss-san!!!" Hmph. That Mazoku hadn't been very affected by all this after all.

            Xelloss and his charge phased in on the other side of the stream. Here Xelloss could still watch Amelia, but they were hidden in the shadow. And Amelia wouldn't hear them—now he could talk with Zelgadiss astrally. [Zelgadiss?] he called. The chimera was just sitting there, hidden. Xelloss couldn't feel much emotion from Zel; only quiet. Strained quiet.

            [Huh? What?] Zel's eyes opened wide as he looked around. "Xelloss, I think the Mazoku is back. I can hear it in my mind." Eeee! Xelloss could feel Zel's fear gripping his very soul. Possession. He was going to be re-possessed, and he was going to kill more friends, and he might even be forced to kill Xelloss. No. No!

            "No, no, calm down," Xelloss whispered, placing his hands on Zel's shoulders and looking into his eyes. "That's me." [See? We can talk astrally now.]

            "Oh," Zel squeaked. "Can we…not?" Astrally meant Mazoku. He didn't really want to be Mazoku. Mazoku were evil, fiendish, and did horrible, sadistic  things with one's heart. Not to mention took control of people, and killed one's friends with one's own body, and merged with one's soul and—

            "Sure," Xelloss whispered, breaking through Zel's thoughts. "But we'll have to be quiet. Amelia's right across the stream."

            "DAMN YOU XELLOSS-SAN!" Amelia could be heard screaming.

            "What language," Xelloss chuckled lowly. How out of character as well; the princess was changing too. For the better, in his opinion.

            "What did you do?" Zel blinked.

            "There aren't any tree branches for Amelia to place my cape on. No matter, she'll figure something out," Xelloss commented. For a moment, he seemed to be ordinary, mischievous Xelloss again. Then he reverted back to new, depressed Xelloss. "More importantly, Zel, I really need to know some things."

            "Sure, Xelloss, anything," Zel said.

            "Can we…" He bowed his head. He could sense his subservience shocking Zel. Just as well. "Actually, I first want to start by saying I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. For all that I've done, for all that has happened, for anything that will happen… I can't atone for it. But if there is a way for me to, I will. Gladly. I love you Zelgadiss, and I want you to be happy." Zel's head jerked back with surprise. "Yes, happy. Maybe that's not in my nature, but well, my nature's changing, Zel. I mean, after all, I love you, and that alone…"

            "Hey, hey," Zel said, stopping him. "No need for a big, long speech. I love you too, and I mean, I did some horrible things to you too—I think. While I was possessed or whatever."

            "But you were under Dolphin's control! That's different!"

            "Not as different as you'd think. I probably had to be somewhat willing for it to happen."

            "But…"

            "XELLOSS! Where in hell are you?!" Amelia squealed, interrupting the overly sappy moment. "Ohhhhhhh… FUCK YOU XELLOSS!"

            "No thank you!" Xelloss called back. "I'm too in love with Zelgadiss at the moment to fuck anyone else…but thanks for the offer!"

Amelia eeped. "Xelloss? Uh…uh…are you out there?"

"What a delicious dish of displaced anger," Xelloss chuckled to Zel.

Zel shrugged. Denial, Xelloss could tell. "Anyway, where's Lina? What happened to her?"

"Ah…she's dead, along with Gourry," Xelloss said. He shook his head. "But let's leave that in the past, all right?"

"Oh…it's my fault, isn't it?" Zel mumbled.

"No, it's not," Xelloss said. "Neither of their deaths are. Um, but Zel, are we back together?"

Zelgadiss nodded. "Yeah. We're back together." He smirked a little, painfully. "It seems like you've learned your lesson."

Xelloss smiled, a real smile, his smile just for Zelgadiss. "I love you," he whispered. He moved his hands from Zel's shoulders down to his sides and pulled him close. They were one again. He lifted Zel's chin with a finger. "Let's kiss and make it a pact, all right?"

Zelgadiss surprised himself and Xelloss by being the one to dive into a particularly lusty kiss.

"Mmmmmm…." Xelloss moaned as they broke apart, looking deep into those blue sapphires, and then he met Zel's lips in another lengthy kiss. This time, it was Zel's turn to moan.

            "Xelloss-san? Zelgadiss-san?" Amelia whimpered. She hoped that wasn't a wild animal she'd just heard…

OOC: A bit rough, but well… ^^;;; I rushed to get this one out, too.


End file.
